The Meaning of Discipleship

24 (A)A [a]disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he may become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. (B)If they have called the head of the house [b](C)Beelzebul, how much more will they insult the members of his household!

26 “So do not (D)fear them, (E)for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 (F)What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim (G)on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather (H)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in [c](I)hell. 29 (J)Are two sparrows not sold for an [d]assarion? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But (K)even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not fear; (L)you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.

32 “Therefore, (M)everyone who [e]confesses Me before people, I will also confess [f]him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But (N)whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

34 (O)Do not think that I came to [g]bring peace on the earth; I did not come to [h]bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to (P)turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and (Q)a persons enemies will be the members of his household.

37 (R)The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And (S)the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 (T)The one who has found his [i]life will lose it, and the one who has lost his [j]life on My account will find it.

The Reward for Service

40 (U)The one who [k]receives you [l]receives Me, and (V)the one who [m]receives Me [n]receives Him who sent Me. 41 (W)The one who [o]receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and the one who [p]receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person shall receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And (X)whoever gives one of these [q]little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

John’s Questions

11 (Y)When Jesus had finished [r]giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there (Z)to teach and [s]preach in their cities.

(AA)Now while in prison, (AB)John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples, and said to Him, “Are You (AC)the Coming One, or are we to [t]look for someone else?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: (AD)those who are blind receive sight and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the (AE)poor have the [u]gospel preached to them. And blessed is [v]any person who (AF)does not [w]take offense at Me.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:24 Or student
  2. Matthew 10:25 Two early mss Beezebul; meaning uncertain, perhaps lord prince, referring to Satan
  3. Matthew 10:28 Gr Gehenna
  4. Matthew 10:29 A Roman copper coin, worth about 1/16 of a laborer’s daily wage
  5. Matthew 10:32 Lit will confess in Me
  6. Matthew 10:32 Lit in him
  7. Matthew 10:34 Lit cast
  8. Matthew 10:34 Lit cast
  9. Matthew 10:39 Or soul
  10. Matthew 10:39 Or soul
  11. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  12. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  13. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  14. Matthew 10:40 Or welcomes
  15. Matthew 10:41 Or welcomes
  16. Matthew 10:41 Or welcomes
  17. Matthew 10:42 Possibly someone of low social standing
  18. Matthew 11:1 Or commanding
  19. Matthew 11:1 Or proclaim
  20. Matthew 11:3 Or wait for
  21. Matthew 11:5 Or good news
  22. Matthew 11:6 Lit whoever
  23. Matthew 11:6 Or stumble over Me

24 “Students[a] are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons,[b] the members of my household will be called by even worse names!

26 “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. 27 What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!

28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[c] 29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin[d]? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

35 ‘I have come to set a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36     Your enemies will be right in your own household!’[e]

37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

40 “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41 If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God,[f] you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. 42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

Jesus and John the Baptist

11 When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.

John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[g] or should we keep looking for someone else?”

Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.[h]

Footnotes

  1. 10:24 Or Disciples.
  2. 10:25 Greek Beelzeboul; other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.
  3. 10:28 Greek Gehenna.
  4. 10:29 Greek one assarion [i.e., one “as,” a Roman coin equal to 1⁄16 of a denarius].
  5. 10:35-36 Mic 7:6.
  6. 10:41 Greek receive a prophet in the name of a prophet.
  7. 11:3 Greek Are you the one who is coming?
  8. 11:6 Or who are not offended by me.